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The Medical Dictionary defines the Type A personality as "a behavior pattern characterized by aggressiveness, ambitiousness, restlessness and a strong sense of time urgency." We use this term all the time in passing, yet many of us don't exactly know what it means. If you have ever been called a type A, here are some signs that you may be just that.

1. Everything is a competition for you.

Whether it is striving to be the first one to finish that calculus problem or weaving the most beautiful underwater basket in your underwater basket weaving class, you love to win. Medal or no medal, you want people to know that you're the best at everything you do. Type A personalities are notorious for their competitive nature and will do just about anything to make sure they succeed.

2. "Lazy" isn't a word in your vocabulary.

Hustling is your life. You want to do all of the things, even if that means you have to schedule when you take a bathroom break. Not only do you love being busy, you can't stand people who are cool with laying around doing nothing all the time. Does. Not. Compute.

3. If you were an animal, you'd be a hummingbird.

"What next?" is your mantra. You are constantly on the move, looking for something else to excel at. You eat fast, you talk fast, you work fast. You have only one speed when it comes to your life: You guessed it, fast.

4. You get really confused and lost when you have free time.

On the rare occasion you find yourself with free time, you don't really know what to do with yourself. It's unfamiliar territory. This is normally when you start spiraling and finding things to keep you busy, like reorganizing your entire closet or trying to give the cat a bath.

5. You don't handle stupid people well.

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard." You probably say this at least three times a day. You may not be the smartest person to ever grace the Earth, but some people just should not be allowed to speak. Like ever. Type A personalities have little patience for nonsense or stupidity, whether it is deliberate or not.

6. You and sleep don't have the best relationship either.

Your brain doesn't have an off switch. Your thoughts race until the early hours of the morning and there isn't much you can do about it. Getting more than five hours of sleep on any given night is an accomplishment for you.

7. Passion is power for you.

If you aren't passionate about a task, the likelihood of you completing it is very slim. You're an all-in type of person. You are either 100 percent on board, or not at all.

8. Lists are your jam.

FitBit silent alarms, reminder notifications, Post-It notes on the wall: These are as important as breathing for you. You live by lists and schedules to keep your never-ending tasks in line. Putting a check mark in a box is cause for celebration in your book.

9. Stress: Also your jam (unintentionally).

Unfortunately for Type A's, stress is a very real and prevalent part of life. You stress about being stressed. You stress about being stressed in the future. You stress about past stresses. However, stress often drives you to work harder and adds pressure to make you even more of a Type A workaholic. If you weren't stressed, you wouldn't be you.

10. You relate to TV characters like Christina Yang and Winston Schmidt.

Whether you aspire to Christina's lifestyle of being a cardio god or make better wedding plans than Schmidt, these characters feel like extensions of yourself.

11. You're crazy confident and totally OK with that.

You're not afraid to say that you did a good job at something. You don't just seize the day: You slay it. You believe that confidence is key in any situation and inspire others to see themselves as the gems they are.

Type A personalities: You either are one or you know one. They are an essential part of the ecosystem we call society. So embrace the walking storm you are, and show the world what a Type A can do.

Madalyn is a freshman at Purdue University studying Biology with Pre-Medical advising with the hopes of becoming a dermatologist. She enjoys her jobs as a barista and a freelance tutor, hammocking in obscure locations, growing succulent plants, singing her heart out on stage, and working out at the gym. She is passionate about philanthropy and making a difference in the realm of mental illness awareness. You can find her on Twitter using the handle @maddie_deselem and on Instagram as @maddie.deselem

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